


Race For Life

by madelinechavez_77



Category: Sword Art Online
Genre: F/M, Other charactors from the Anime as well!! Just too lazy to write them sorry, So yeah, There will be death, but it does start off with Kazuto and Asuna..., emotional stuff, freaking plot twist bruh, ocs are involved, so yeah...., this is shino and Kazuto pairing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-15
Updated: 2015-11-27
Packaged: 2018-05-01 17:23:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5214371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madelinechavez_77/pseuds/madelinechavez_77
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been a year since the incident in GGO and Kazuto and Shino believe that they have left the memories behind. But fate has other plans in store for them when Shino witnesses the death of a player. Now, they have to race against a killer to save one player, including themselves before the BoB. Can these two stop the murderer or will they have finally met their match?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Forgotten Nightmares

**Author's Note:**

> I have placed this story on both this site and ff.net so enjoy on either site!!

**Chapter 1: _Forgotten Nightmares_**

****

_This isn’t the end…_

Red eyes glared down at him as a dark shadowy figure towered above him. Kirito gritted his teeth, his hand gripping the Photon sword tightly. He was breathing heavily, short shallow breaths that seemed to take all of his strength. His right arm was slung around his upper torso, gripping it.

_You don’t have what it takes to end this._

A bullet struck him, sending him staggering back. He grunted lowly, trying not to let the being before him have the gratification of seeing him in pain. He raised his arm, willing his legs to move. He hurled himself at the being, screaming at the top of his lungs as he jumped into the air, grasping the handle of the sword and bringing it down on the shape. However, it moved. Merely grazing the side of the figure’s cloak, leaving a red glow to it. The blood red eyes stayed on him, mocking him at his weak attempt. Kirito landed back on the ground with a _thud_ , his feet moving back to their battle stance.

_You’ll realize that sooner or later_.

Not a moment later a gun was aimed at him, a Type 54, Black Star; the _Death Gun_. His eyes widened and he barely missed the bullet as it whizzed past him, almost in slow motion. It flew past the fabric of his protective gear, leaving a small tear. He huffed, his eyes darting everywhere to think of an escape or an easy attack. There was none. And before he could even come to that conclusion, there was another shot and he felt his body leaning back to the side, once more missing the bullet, but this time, he was struck with another one. It rendered his body useless, paralyzing him. He gasped as he fell forward, his head weakly tilting upwards and his face contorted in pain. He tried to move his hands, fingers, _anything_! But he wouldn’t budge. And as the dark figure stood over him, gun at the ready and the barrel pointed at him, he could feel his heart pulsing with fear. His eyes stared wide eyed at the gun and he gulped.

_It’s show time!_

**Bang!**

Kazuto woke with a sharp gasp, his body jerking awake and sitting upright in bed. He took in short breaths, gasping and choking on strangled sobs. His eyes were wet with tears and his fingers gripped at the bed sheets tightly. He stared blindly at the dark sheets in front of him. His whole body was trembling and drenched with sweat. The sound of the gun from his dream still ringing in his ears. His heart beat loudly against his chest and he couldn’t seem to gather his bearings. Everything was moving too quickly and his vision was swerving left and right, making him seem double. His stomach was churning and he could feel the bile in his throat. Snapping out of his stupor, he yanked back the covers and lunged off the bed, heading straight for his door. He pulled it back with an unnecessary force and made a mad dash for the restroom. Closing the door he headed straight for the toilet and hurled the contents from his stomach into the porcelain bowl. He sobbed and gasped as he heaved, his fingers gripping the sides of the toilet tightly and making his knuckles turn white.

He squeezed his eyes shut tightly as he managed to stop himself, his forehead resting against the cool surface. He was still panting but his crying had since stopped. He tried to erase the dream, to forget the eyes. But the words and the sound of the gunshot stayed. Filling his mind and ears with the deep, dark mechanical voice and the loud thunderous bang.

_This isn’t the end…you don’t have what it takes…realize this sooner or later. It’s show time…show time…show-!_

“ _Brother_?”

A soft voice called out from the other side of the door, making the boy snap out of his hellish thoughts. He blinked and leaned back, turning to the white door. There was a small knock, making him jolt a bit.

“Brother? Are you okay?”

It was his sister, Suguha. He straightened up a bit, wiping away at his mouth. He shakily stood up and flushed the toilet. Shuffling towards the sink, he turned on the water and rinsed off his hands and mouth. He stared at his reflection and grimaced. His dark hair was tussled and unruly, his eyes looked troubled and weary, and slightly red and puffy from crying. His skin was a bit paler than normal and his nose tinted with red from sniffling. He cupped his hands under the water and splashed his face with water. The second time, he pressed his hands against his face for a few seconds before pulling them away and drying off. Deciding he’d left his sister waiting long enough, he opened the door, his eyes coming to face with her worried expression.

“What happened? Are you alright?” She bombarded him with questions before he could even utter a simple sentence. Her hands cupped his cheeks and she glanced at him for any injuries. He let out a weak chuckle at her concern and gently grabbed her wrists. He removed her hands from his face and flashed a small smile.

“I’m fine, Sugu” He replied quietly, “just had to use the restroom.” She gave a dubious look and frowned slightly.

“Are you sure? I thought I heard you sobbing,” She murmured, looking away briefly as if she was trying to remember. Kazuto managed a laugh and ruffled her short hair, much to her annoyance.

“You worry too much,” He lied, pushing down the guilt that was building up in him, “I’m fine. Honest.”

She looked into his eyes, searching for any hint of emotion, but he made sure to keep them guarded. He didn’t want Suguha to worry about something that didn’t really need to be discussed. She seemed to give up after a few moments of silence and relented. But not before giving him a soothing hug. His tensed, eyes slightly widening at the sudden affection.

“I believe you, Onii-chan,” She said in a hushed manner, her eyes closed as she held her dear brother and ignored the beating of her heart from being so close. Kazuto let out a quiet sigh of relief and hugged her back.

A few moments later, they bid each other goodnight and headed off back to bed. Though he had managed to calm himself down and reassure himself that he was safe, Kazuto still had a difficult time closing his eyes and getting a restful sleep. His room felt cold and the darkness around him seemed to form into shapes.

And for some reason, he couldn’t shake off the feeling of being watched.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shino and Kirito experience their first attack by an unknown killer. Guess it's time for a little visit to an old friend.

**Chapter 2: _A Near Death Experience_**

Shino Asada sat silently on her favorite swing. She lazily swung back and forth, her eyebrows furrowed deep in thought. Since the events of BoB, she hadn’t been able to stop thinking of it. The fear, adrenaline, and anxiety. Her experiences of her brush with death. And of course, her time with Kazuto. A small smile graced her lips at the thought of him. Her protector, she thought happily. She had come to trust Kazuto and would’ve done just about anything for him. He had helped her become strong, he had shown her the way of moving on and to live without the constant fear of guns. Kazuto had helped her become one with her other half, _Sinon_ , her sniper counterpart in GGO and together, she was able to carry on.

But, her thoughts took a dark turn when she thought of another person, the only other one whom she had entrusted with her secrets. Her one-and only-friend who had turned out to be a crazy man, seeking only her and nothing else. She shivered at the bitter and horrid memories he left with her. Kyouji Shinkawa, a murderer and an enemy. He had left a scar on her, a deep one at that. He had become the thing she feared and never wanted to see. But, there was some unfinished business with him.

Which had brought her here, to her favorite spot. It was nice and secluded, a perfect place for her to think alone and let her mind wander. As she gently moved her foot against the ground, making the swing gently move back and forth, she rethought of how twisted he had become. His reality had been warped, no doubt about that. But she wondered why. Why did he do that? Was it really to become stronger? She stopped moving and looked up at the sky, he had so much going for him…why just give up like that?

It was questions like these that had Shino thinking. She tried to figure out his motives for killing those people. Was it for sick pleasure? Revenge, like his brother? Or because he truly wanted people to see him as a psychopath? Someone to be feared? Was her old friend-now enemy really that crazy and sadistic like his elder brother? She couldn’t decide if she wanted to find out or not, but she had a hunch on what she wanted. Her phone beeped, snapping her out of her daze. She pulled the gadget out and looked over the notification.

_Meeting with Kyouji at twelve-hope that’s alright! Finally got the right for visitors! Want any company? -Kikuoka Seijiro_

Shino froze, rereading the words with shock and surprise. It had been nearly a year since she had seen Kyouji, and her body flooded with nervousness. Did she really want to see him? _Was_ she prepared to see him? She bit her lip, the questions flooding her mind and making her hands trembling slightly. She exhaled slowly and started typing.

_Sounds great! Hopefully I can get some answers…I’ll probably bring along a friend. Thanks._

She swallowed thickly before hitting the send button. She waited another moment before she got the response from the man.

_Understood! See you there._

She turned off her phone and stood up, stretching her limbs. She sighed, pushing her glasses up slightly before frowning. She turned on her phone again, her finger scrolling through her contacts before stopping at a certain name. She stared at it for a moment or two, her heart racing with nerves. Should she call? They could be busy though…pushing down the fear, she tapped the name and held the phone up to her ear, waiting for the rings.

_Ring…ring…ring…ring-_

“ _Hello?_ ” A groggy voice answered at the fourth ring.

“Kazuto!” Shino cringed at how excited her voice sounded. There was a shuffle on the other end and small thump.

“ _Sino!_ ” Came his voice, sounding more awake, “ _W-what’s up?_ ” She chuckled silently before responding back to him, the anxiety in her slowly dying down.

“Nothing much…I just have a small favor to ask of you,” She murmured, glancing around slowly. The hair on the back of her neck stood up as she felt something-or _someone_ -watching her. She turned around, looking towards the bushes and trees behind her. She looked closely and hard, her eyes searching for any abnormal movements.

“ _Sino? Hello?_ ”

The sound of Kazuto voice brought her back to the real world and she blinked. Her mouth forming into a small ‘o’ as she tried to get back on track, “Huh? Oh! S-sorry about that, Kazuto…I just thought I saw some something…” She trailed off. She heard a small sigh from the other end.

“ _Don’t scare me like that,_ ” Kazuto chuckled, “ _You had me worried something had happened to you_.” If she didn’t know any better, she would’ve thought that she heard genuine care for her in his voice. Was Kazuto really that worried and protective over her? The thought alone made a broad smile appear on her face, her cheeks turning a soft shade of red.

“Sorry, Kazuto…” she smiled, her heart fluttering ever so slightly.

“ _So, what was that favor you needed?_ ”

She blinked, before remembering her reason for calling, “Ah, yes! You see, Mr. Seijiro messaged me a moment ago,” She explained, “Kyouji has been allowed visiting rights at the detention center. I was wondering if you could accompany me…” She said nervously, “You see…since his attack, I’ve found that I’m not ready yet to be alone with him. I don’t trust him like I do before, a-and so…I was hoping you’d help me out here,” She finally squeezed out. It was quiet on the other end and she could only hope he wouldn’t laugh at her silly request. She closed her eyes tightly and practically choked her phone as she waited.

“ _Alright. Tell me where you are, I’ll come pick you up._ ”

She exhaled quickly, not even realizing she had been holding her breath. She grinned and gave a short laugh, “Really?! Great! Thank you, Kazuto, this really means a lot.”

“ _No problem, anything for a friend_.”

A friend.

She felt a little piece of her heart chip away at the word. But still, she forced a smile and gave her whereabouts to him before giving him a goodbye. She leaned back against the wooden fence behind her and sighed, staring down at the ground.

_I know I shouldn’t have any desires for him, considering that he’s with Asuna…but I can’t help but feel a bitter anger towards that girl. Could I really possibly like Kazuto in that way? I guess so. He does make me feel like I can accomplish anything, like I really am strong. What do I make him feel though? What does Asuna make him feel?_

She bit her lip and exhaled slowly through her nose. She tucked her phone away and closed her eyes. Could there be a small remote chance that she could get Kazuto to feel for her? All those times he had been there for her in GGO and held her close to his side, did he feel anything? Anything that could possibly be more than _just a friend_? She blushed furiously at those thoughts and scowled. Why did it matter to her anyways? There were plenty of other guys out there that could make her feel this way! Right? But the more she thought, the more her heart sank. Who else could there be? If there was another, would they accept her? Her dark past and all? Would they stay by her side when her attacks came out, like Kazuto? Would they risk their life for her?

At that moment she didn’t care. If it wasn’t Kazuto staying by her side, then why should it matter? She looked up immediately when the feeling of being watched returned. She looked around, trying to find the unwanted visitor.

“Who’s there?” She called out towards the trees in front of her. There was a sound of a twig snapping behind her. She gasped and spun around quickly, catching a glimpse of what she could’ve sworn were red eyes, “It can’t be…” She whispered, her eyes widening. She could hear what sounded like a gun being cocked and she tensed, fear pulsing through her veins. Then, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

She screamed and quickly spun around, her eyes landing on dark worried ones.

“Sino? What’s-,” Kazuto barely finished the sentence before pushing her down to the ground and covering her with his body. A loud _bang_ shot through the stilled air making them both flinch. Then, there was another sound of a gun being cocked. Kazuto eyes widened and he rolled them away from the spot they were in towards another one as another bullet whizzed by where they were a moment ago.

Then, it was quiet.

All that could be heard was the heavy breathing of both Shino and Kazuto. Her eyes were staring at his face with fear and shock, while his were narrowed in determination and focus. It was a while later before they could both relax, their breaths and pulses finally settling down.

“You okay?” Kazuto asked, his eyes looking down into hers. She nodded, her mouth drawn up tightly. Kazuto gave a small reassuring smile to her, “Good.”

“W-who was that?” She asked quietly, almost fearfully. Kazuto frowned, his eyes looking up to where the bullets were shot. He grimaced, not liking the feel of this.

“I’m not sure…but obviously we have an enemy out here,” He mumbled.

“Another one of Death Gun’s accomplices?”

“Probably,” Kazuto looked back down at her to see her on the brink of crying. His face shifted to one of worry and he gently pushed aside a stray bang from her eyes, “Hey, don’t worry,” He soothed, “It’s alright. He’s gone,” he gave her a gentle smile, before moving his arm to wrap around her slim waist and pull her close to him so that he could hug her. She whimpered and wrapped her own arms around his neck, burrowing her face against his chest and crying softly. Kazuto let her, knowing that the recent event must’ve triggered something to her. He ached to know there was still a little fear in her. But he guessed it was only natural. After all, you never really do recover from something traumatic, do you?

“Come on,” He urged softly, “let’s go visit that guy, hm?” He suggested, hoping to take her mind off of the attempted murder. Shino didn’t say anything, only giving small sniffles and a slight nod of her head.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!!


End file.
